<p class="title">While media coverage of Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping today focused on trade and North Korea, it was the wide-eyed crooning of the US leader's granddaughter that stole Chinese netizens' hearts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a video that Trump showed Xi during their stroll through the historic Forbidden City yesterday, his granddaughter, Arabella Kushner, greets "Grandpa Xi and Grandma Peng (Liyuan)" with several Mandarin ballads and a recitation of ancient Chinese poetry.</p>.<p class="bodytext">China's Xinhua state news agency, which circulated the clip widely on social media, reported that Xi said the six- year-old girl's Mandarin skills deserved an "A+".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Chinese public agreed, according to Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"As a little ambassador of Chinese-American friendship, Arabella has already received the love of a vast number of Chinese people," Hua said during a regular press briefing today.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"This kind of special arrangement is actually very sweet and warm-hearted. We believe that this has helped to further bring closer the affection and distance between the Chinese and American people."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Arabella also played a starring role at the state dinner organised by Xi in Trump's honour at the Great Hall of the People tonight.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The full video, which Trump brought as a gift for Xi, was played on screens in the room, earning her a mention in her grandfather's toast.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Our children so often remind us of our shared humanity and true dignity," Trump, 71, said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform, was filled with praise for Arabella's performance today, though it was unclear how many comments related to Trump's visit had been censored.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"She's too cute!" users gushed. "Let's hope that she marries into a Chinese family."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Others made light of the fact that apparently no one can avoid the arduous task of memorising ancient Chinese poetry -- not even the US president's granddaughter.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It's not the first time Arabella has played a role in Sino-American diplomacy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">When Xi visited Trump's Mar-a-Lago Florida resort in April, Arabella recited for Xi the "Three Character Classic", a time-honoured text from the Song Dynasty that was also included in her latest clip.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ivanka Trump, Arabella's mother and a White House adviser, has said in interviews that her children have a Chinese nanny who teaches them Mandarin.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ivanka Trump frequently posts videos of Arabella speaking or singing in Chinese to her social media accounts, and she brought her daughter to a Lunar New Year event organised by the Chinese embassy in Washington. </p>
<p class="title">While media coverage of Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping today focused on trade and North Korea, it was the wide-eyed crooning of the US leader's granddaughter that stole Chinese netizens' hearts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a video that Trump showed Xi during their stroll through the historic Forbidden City yesterday, his granddaughter, Arabella Kushner, greets "Grandpa Xi and Grandma Peng (Liyuan)" with several Mandarin ballads and a recitation of ancient Chinese poetry.</p>.<p class="bodytext">China's Xinhua state news agency, which circulated the clip widely on social media, reported that Xi said the six- year-old girl's Mandarin skills deserved an "A+".</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Chinese public agreed, according to Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"As a little ambassador of Chinese-American friendship, Arabella has already received the love of a vast number of Chinese people," Hua said during a regular press briefing today.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"This kind of special arrangement is actually very sweet and warm-hearted. We believe that this has helped to further bring closer the affection and distance between the Chinese and American people."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Arabella also played a starring role at the state dinner organised by Xi in Trump's honour at the Great Hall of the People tonight.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The full video, which Trump brought as a gift for Xi, was played on screens in the room, earning her a mention in her grandfather's toast.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Our children so often remind us of our shared humanity and true dignity," Trump, 71, said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform, was filled with praise for Arabella's performance today, though it was unclear how many comments related to Trump's visit had been censored.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"She's too cute!" users gushed. "Let's hope that she marries into a Chinese family."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Others made light of the fact that apparently no one can avoid the arduous task of memorising ancient Chinese poetry -- not even the US president's granddaughter.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It's not the first time Arabella has played a role in Sino-American diplomacy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">When Xi visited Trump's Mar-a-Lago Florida resort in April, Arabella recited for Xi the "Three Character Classic", a time-honoured text from the Song Dynasty that was also included in her latest clip.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ivanka Trump, Arabella's mother and a White House adviser, has said in interviews that her children have a Chinese nanny who teaches them Mandarin.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ivanka Trump frequently posts videos of Arabella speaking or singing in Chinese to her social media accounts, and she brought her daughter to a Lunar New Year event organised by the Chinese embassy in Washington. </p>